Friday, January 2, 2009

IMAGINE - A song of peace ... or is it?

If you were watching the ball drop on Times Square this New Year's Eve you probably heard one of the most popular songs ever written, Imagine by John Lennon. In fact, the song has been heard at Times Square every New Year's Eve since 2006. It is often played as an inspiration of peace. But, was the song really penned to inspire the hope of a more peaceful world? In the book Lennon In America, written by Geoffrey Giuliano, Lennon commented that the song was "an anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic song, but because it's sugar-coated, it's accepted." While Lennon's lyric for peace may never be certain, cultural America has accepted and adapted the words as a symbol of peace by those who interpreted the words to fit their own emotion or cause. Cultural Art Form Circa 1970's interpretation of the popular John Lennon song "Imagine". Used at a Vietnam protest rally in Ohio. Words have been altered to fit sentiments of protester.
Oil on Plywood Board - Vernacular Lettering - 5' 11" tall x 1' 10" wide. Collection of David & Kim Leggett

3 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Thought provoking post. The song still gives me goosebumps. Maybe it's good that we adapted the lyrics and it's lost it's original intent.

Nice piece of Ohio history, nonetheless.

John Foster said...

OMG!! LOVE it! WOW!

Kim and David said...

I LOVE it too! One of my favorite things in my collection. Thanks for the comments John & Willow! Kim